Water Systems for Small Communities

A Puzzle Guide for Local Officials
Bulletin 910

Water System Monitoring Recording and Reporting

Jeff Crisler, Division of Drinking and Groundwater, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Karen Mancl, Professor Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, The Ohio State University

Any facility that produces a product and supplies it to customers must keep track of its operations. Water systems are no different. People who rely on reports are:

• operators who continually adjust, maintain, and troubleshoot water system components.
• managers who oversee water system performance.
• authorities or owners who must plan for the future and settle ongoing obligations.
• regulators who are charged with protecting the public interest, such as health and safety.

Water systems are required to submit monthly operating reports to the district offices of Ohio EPA. Many water systems work with laboratories to test the water and in turn submit the report. The water system is ultimately responsible for reporting to Ohio EPA. They must follow up with the lab to be sure the reports are sent in a timely manner.

Code numbers are used to link the result to the sampling point. The report must include:

1. Public water system name.
2. ID number—a 6 or 7 digit number assigned to the public water system by the Ohio EPA district office.
3. STU number—another 6 or 7 digit number assigned to the public water system by the Ohio EPA district office to designate each separate treatment unit in the system.
4. Contact person and phone number.
5. County name and address.
6. Sample monitoring point number—2 letters and 2 numbers assigned for each monitoring point. For example, DS001 would stand for distribution system at point #1.

Some of the reports generated at water systems include the following.

Drinking Water Operational Report

This report summarizes the amount of water being produced and includes daily water production, minimum chlorine residuals, and water chemistry as indicators of water treatment effectiveness.

Drinking Water Monthly Contaminant Report

This report summarizes the monthly bacteria test results. The report also includes the matching chlorine residual levels for each bacteria test.

Surface Water Treatment Report

Turbidity levels of the finished water are recorded and reported to guard against the introduction of pathogens that can "hide" in cloudy water. In addition, this report plots the disinfection practices of a water system to ensure adequate contact time between finished water and the chlorine.

Fluoride Operation Report

Monitoring results for fluoride and the amount of fluoride compound used daily must be recorded and reported.